Firing mechanism for machine pistols



H. m 2 9 1 5 2 v. a M

FIRING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE PISTOLS Filed August 8, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l fwn/enfer Hans fmezlfJevv May 25 1926. `1,586,048l

AHfsGH/IEI.ssER

FIRING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE PISTOLS Filed August a, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gym@ Patented` May 25, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,586,048 PATENT oFFica HANS scHMEIssER, oF sUHL, GERMANY.

FIBING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE PISTOLS.

Application 'lled August 8, 1925.

My invention relates toimprovements in machine pistols and more particularly to an improved firing mechanism for pistols of the stated type in which a heavy breech block is provided for effecting, through its Weight or inertia, the locking of the Weapon during the closing operation, and in which further a percussion bolt. or tiring pin is locatethwithin the breech block and provided with a coiled spring abutting against the bottom of the breech casing and acting to always exert a pressure on the percussion bolt. or firing pin so as to tend to force the latter, together with the breech block, into a frontposition in the breech casing.

Machine pistols of this type have the advantage of simplicity of construction and attendance which involves or ensures efficiency and reliable operation. Nevertheless practice shows that small arms of this type possess certain disadvantages and it is the chief object of the present invention to do away with such disadvantages.

`With this object in view I construct, in the first line, the firing mechanism in a manner that not only a series or sequence of shots can be automatically fired, but also only a single shot can be fired by an operation of the trigger, and that the .means provided' forcha-nging from single shot to sequence or vice versa can be readily' operated by the forelinger or the thumb while the pistol is held in tiring position, new constructional parts and the arrange-ment being such as to conform to the type of the pistol as regards simplicity of construction, reliability and efciency of operation.

Further the invention refers to overcoming a certain disadvantage of pistols of the stated type which 'disadvantage consists in that the safety device usually provided therej in, is constructed and arranged in a manner entirely different from the safety devices usually employed in military small-arms, carabines and the like. For in pistols of the type as hitherto suggested the handle for operating the breech is located in an angular slot of the breech casing. This arrangement is objectionable for the reason that the same is not fully reliable and that persons who have been trained with military' arms arev not familial' therewith. I, therefore, provide in the pistol embodying my invention a safety device which comes up to that of the usual military arms as regards reliability and handling.

Serial No. 48,985.

'Furthermore I combine with the aforestated safety device an arrangement which ensures, in assembling the constituent parts of the pistol, a ready insertion of the closing spring which in a pistol of this type is of considera-ble length, Whereas in pistols of the type as hitherto constructed, it is very diflicult to insert the spring therein.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following specification and drawings in which there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention which is in no way intended as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims as it is-to be understood that Variations and modifications which properly fall Within the scope of said claims may be resorted to when found expedient.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication and wherein like characters designate like parts throughout the several views F igurel is a side elevation of the pistol, partly in section and with the butt partially shown; Figure 2 is a plany view thereof, likewise partly in section and with the butt partially shown; Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on the line A-B of Figure 1; Figure 4 is asectional view of the portion of the pistol illustrating the trigger mechanism on of the breech removed from the pistol andv showing the safety device and the end or bottom plate of the breech casing, the safety device being set safe; and Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part removed from the pistol to show a means for guiding the closing spring.

Referring to the drawings the pistol shown therein is constructed and arranged in the usual manner, as regards its main parts such as the barrel, the cylindrical breech block 1 with the percussion bolt or firing pin 2 enclosed therein and the closing spring 3, the block, thev pin and the spring being located in the breech casing 4; as usual.

The interrupting lever 6 ispivotally cor-- structed, as at 7, to a part of bracket 5 attached to the underside of the breech casing. The one arm of the lever is held down, by the action of a light springI 8, in horizontal position, while the other arm thereof extends upwards with' its top projecting 7into the casing so as to lie in the path of the reciprocating breech-block. Pivoted to the horizontal arm of the lever 6 is a link 9 which is adapted to swing` in a horizontal plane and is subject to the action of a light coiled spring 10, as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6. The rear end of the sear 11 which is, as usual, arranged to be dis- -placeable lengthwise, is connected to a spring-controlled pawl 12 adapted to turn in a vertical plane, but normally held in alinement with the sear or rod 11 by the action of the spring of the pawl. The front end of the scar or rod 11 is engaged, as usual, by the arresting lever 13 which locks the breech-block in the cocked or one endposition in the usual manner as clearly shown in Figure 1.

The spring-controlled pawl 12 is shaped to form-a U with the cavlty downwards for the link 9 of the lever 6 to normally engage therein under the action of the spring .10, as will be seen in Figure 5, while at the same time a depending nose `13l of the link 9 engages in a recess of the change-over bolt 14, see Figures 4 and 5. By shifting the bolt 14 the nose 13l can be disengaged from the spring-controlled pawl 12, that is to say, moved from the position illustrated in Figure 5 to that shown in Figure 6. The` Sear or rod 11 is controlled in the usual manner by a coiled' spring, see Figure 1, acting algai-nst the front end thereof in order to press and hold the springfcontrolled pawl 12 in contact with the trigger. The change-over bolt is yieldingly-locked in its active or end position, shown in Figures 5 and 6, by a spring-actuated -pin 15 having a round end to enter into correspondingly shaped recesses cut in the bolt.

The operation of the mechanism above described is 'as follows In case of firing continuously or a sequencefthe changing bolt 14 is set to the position shown in Figure 6 'so that the link 9 pivoted to the lever 6 is out'l of engagement with the spring-controlled pawl 12. If the weapon is cocked, as shown in NFigure 1, 'a

pressure exerted on the trigger, will cause4 the sear or rod 11 to be shifted in the direction toward the muzzle of the barrel and the latter remains, upon continued pressure on ,the trigger together with the sear or rod 11 in its shifted or front position and t-he lever 13 remains also in its inactive position, vso that the breech-block is not locked or arrested upon the firing of the single shot, but is free to advance after each shot under the action of the spring 3 fo-r continuous firing as long as cartridges are supplied by the magazine.

If only one shot is to be fired the changing bolt 14 must be shifted into the position shown in Figure 5, so that the link 9 will engage in the spring-controlled pawl 127 as illustrated in Figure 5. If then the trigger is operated, the sear or rod 11 will likewise be moved in the direction towards the barrel and the cocked breech-blo`ck will be released to ily forward into the firing position. On its return movement the lever 6 is actuated in the saine manner as before, that is to say, the front arm of the lever-goes down and the rear arm thereof is raised, the latter, however, acting at the same time to lift the spring-controlled pawl 12 by means ofthe link 9 pivoted to the lever, as will be readily understood by an inspection of Figures 4 and 5, In this way the contact connection of the trigger with the sear or rod 1l is interrupted, so that then, even on a continued pressure on the trigger, the catching or arresting lever 13 will arrest the again advancing breech-block and lock the same in cocked position. When the parts have adopted their position the front arm ofthe interrupting lever will be opposite a. corresponding groove or recess provided in the breech-block and will be forced by the spring 8 to engage therein, whilst at the same time the rear arm of the lever is lowered again and the spring-controlled pawl 152 caused to again come in contact with the trigger.` By a further pressure exerted on the trigger a further shot will be fired and it will be seen that thus single shots can be fired, as required or desired. u

The percussion bolt or firing pin 2 1s or constitutes, in the embodiment shown, a part of its own adapted to be inserted into the breech-block and lockedtherein by a handle 17 provided on the bolt for the purpose, so that the block andthe bolt practically form a unit when assembled. The rear end of the belt 2 projects beyond the hind face of the block 1 and its rear extremity is shaped to form avcolla'r 1S. The end or bottom plate 19 of the breech casing 4 is united with the latter, in the embodiment shown, b'y being screwed onto the rear end of the same and a central bore is provided in the plate 19 for the reception of a short shaft 20 adapted to be turned in the bore and having, at its outer end, the usual safety wing or handle rigidly attached thereto or integral therewith, while its inner end is shaped to form play so as to permit of being easily unscrewed or rotated.

" The safety disc 23 possesses an arm 24 extending, in the {breech-casing, in the direction towards the barrel and having an inwardly projecting nose 25 at its free end..

The safety handle is connected with the disc 23 by a screw 26 or the like, a semicircular slot 27 being provided in the bottom plate 19, see Figure 3, for the screw orthe like to pass therethrough. The collar 18 of the percussion bolt is cut out at a certain point to form a recess 251 of a width sutlicient to allow the nose 25 of the arm 24 of the safety disc 23 to pass therethrough, the said recess 251 being located so as to be opposite the nose 25 when the safety handle 21 is turned over to the lett-hand side, as shown in Figure 2, in order that the breech-block with the percussion bolt may not be prevented by the nose 25 from performing the required movements in the breech-casing.

In case that the breech-block is in the rear or cocked position and 1t is desired to put the weapon safe, the safety wing or handle 21 is turned lover to the righthand side, thereby causing the nose of the arm 24 to grip over the collar 18 of the percussion bolt, as shown in Figure 1, and' t0 lock or retain the breech-block in the rear.

-iciently locked and the weapon is fully safe as soon as handle 21 has been turned over to the right-hand Side for a short portion of its entire path only since the nose 25 of the arm 24 will catch and hold the.

collar 18 and consequently lock the percussion-belt andthe breech-block, immediately upon receding from its position in front of the recess 251. Hence it follows that the weapon is also fully safe when the handle 21 has a vertical position, as shown in Figures ,1 and 3.

In the front face of the hub 22 of the bottom plate 19 two radial grooves of semicircular cross-section are providedthe grooves are not shown-for the reception of the projecting end of a cross- 1n 28 provided in the shaft 2O of the safgty handle. The free end of the pin 28 is pressed into the one or the other groove through the action of the spring 3 for the purpose of locking the handle 21 in its two end positions.

Instead of constructing the safety mechanism as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the safety arm 24 of .the handle 21 may be arranged to immediately engage the breech-block and to thus lock both the block and the percussion bolt when the handle 21 is put safe. In such a modification the percussion bolt 2 need not project from the rear end of the breech-block intothe breech-casing and also the collar 18 may be dispensed with. The connection of the percussion bolt with the breech-block may vlikewise be effected in any suitable manner and is not limited to the construction illustrated in the drawings.

The closing spring 3 is coiled about and guided by the sleeve 34 forming an elongation of the shaft 20 of the safety handle 21. The rear end of the spring 3 encircles a socket 29 having a suitable seat for the end of the spring to abut against while the socket 29 engages over the pin 28, as will be clearly seen in Figure 8. A bolt 30 is inserted in the 'sleeve 34 and adapted to telescope therein against the action of a tine colled spring 33. The sleeve 34 has a ylongitudinal slot 32 and the bolt 30 has a pin 31 at its inner end, projecting into the slot 32 so as to guide the bolt and prevent the same from being ejected from the sleeve by the spring 33.

The sleeve 34 and the telescopic rod or bolt 30 acting as a yielding elongation of the former, serves in their totality as a means for holding and guiding the main spring 3 of the Weapon, both when the parts constituting the weapon are assembled and also for the main spring prior to the asembling operation so that the insertion of the spring can be performed in a ready manner.

Upon unscrewing the bottom plate 19 the spring 33 will expand and at the same time the elongating rod or bolt 30 will be driven out of the sleeve 34, from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position illustrated in Figure 8, where the pin 31 terminates the movement of both the rod 30 and the light spring 33 in the sleeve. As will be understood from Figure 8 the sleeve combined with the yielding rod constitute a means for guiding the main spring 3 lo the extent of its length both when\ assembled in the weapon and for the assembling purpose so that insertion of the spring 3 can be etfected without any diiliculties.

It will be evident that myinvention, while still being adhered to in its main essentials, may be varied land adapted in many ways, accordingH to requirement` desired or most suitable under diferent circumstances.

What I claim is 1. A. firing mechanism for a machine pis` tol of the type set forth, comprising a breech-block adapted to lock the pistol through inertia, a percussion bolt enclosed spring acting to propel both the said breechblock and the said percussion bolt, an interrupting lever, a link pivoted to the said lever, a sear rod, a spring-controlled pawl pivotally connected with the said Sear rod,

, and a change-over bolt, for bringing the said link in engagement or out of engagement with the said pawl, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A firing mechanism for a machine pistol of the type set forth, comprising a breech-block, adapted to lock the pistol through inertia, a percussion bolt encased in said breech-block, a closing spring acting to propel both the said breech-block and the said percussion bolt, interrupting lever, a link pivoted to the said lever, a scar rod, a spring controlled pawl pivotally connectedwith the said sear rod, a change-over bolt for bringing the said link in or out of engagement with the said pawl, a safety handle, and means for locking the breechvblock and the percussion bolt, when cocked,

through the said handle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A firing mechanism for machine pistols of the type set forth, comprising a breechblock adapted to lock the weapon through,A

inertia, a percussion bolt encased in said breech-block, a closing spring adapted to propel both the said breech-block and the percussion bolt, an,v interrupting lever, a link pivotally attached to the said level', a

,sear rod, a spring-controlled pawl pivotally for the said arm to disengage therefrom,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A ring mechanism for a machine pistol of the type set. forth, comprising a breech-block adapted to lock the weapon through inertia, a percussion boltencased in said breech-block, a closing spring ada ted to propel both the said breech-block an theI percussion bolt, an interrupting lever, a link pivotally attached to the said lever, a sear rod, a 'spring-controlled' pawl pivotally connected with the'V said Sear rod, ay change-over bolt for bringing the said linkl in and out of engagement with the said pawl, a breech-casing, a safety handle mounted in the said bottom plate on a shaft so as to be capable of rotation thereabout, an arm movably connected with the said bottom plate and .connected with the said safety arm to co-operate therewith, avsleeve integral with the said shaft, and a ieldinff rod, telescopically mounted in t e said sleeve, substantially as and for the purpose' set forth.

5. A firing mechanism for a machine pistol of the type set forth, comprising a breech-block adapted to lock the wea on through inertia, a percussion bolt encase in said breech-block, a closing spring adapted to propel both the said breech-block and the percussion bolt, an interrupting lever, a link pivotally attached to the said lever, a sear rod, a spring-controlled pawl pivotally connected with the said sear rod, a change-over 'bolt for bringing .the said link in and out of engagement with the said pawl, a breech'casing, a bottom plate closing the rear end of the said breech casing, a safety handle mounted in the said bottom plate on a shaft so as to be capable of rotation, an arm movably Yconnected with the said bottom plate and connected with the said shaft to co-operate therewith, a sleeve integral with the said shaft, a yielding rod telescopically mounted in said sleeve, a collar on the rear end of the said percusson boltl for the said varm to engage therewith, and a recess inthe said collar for the said arm to disengage therefrom, substantiall as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A ring mechanism for a machine pistol of the type s et forth comprising an interrupting lever, a link pivoted to the lever, a sear rod, a spring-controlled pawl pivotally connected with .said scar rod, and a vchange-'over bolt for said link.

7. A iring mechanism for a machine pistol of the type set forth, comprising a breech-blockv adapted to lock the wea on through inertia, a percussion bolt encase m said breech-block, a closing spring adapted to propel both thefsaid breech-block and the said percussion bolt, an interrupting lever, a 1l! link pivotally attached to the said lever, a l sear rod, a spring-controlled pawl pivotally connected to the said lsear rod, a change-over bolt for bringing the said link in and out of engagement with the said ll pawl, a breech-casing, a bottom plate c losing the rear end ofthe said breech casing, a safety handle mounted on a shaft in the said bottom plate so as to becapable of rotation, an arm movably connected with the said bottom plate and connected with the said handle to co-operate therewith, a sleeve integral with the said shaft, a yielding rod telescopically mounted in the said sleeve, means in connection with the said sleeve and shaft for adapting the said closing spring to lock the said safety handle in the one or the other one of vits two end positions, a collar on therear end of the said percussion bolt for the said arm to engage therewith,'

and a recess in the Isaidcollar for the said arm to disengage therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. v

8. A iiring mechanism for a machine pistol of the type set forth comprising an interrupting lever having a link pivoted at one end thereof, a sear rofl having a paw] pivoted at one end thereof, and meansy cooperating with said link in order to permit a continuous or a single firing of thel istol, depelnding upon the position of the lin and aw 9. A firing mechanism for a machne'pisspring-presse pressed pawl pivoted at one end thereof,'

tol of the type set forthcomlprising a springpressed interrupting lever aving a -springpressed link ivoted at one end thereof, a

Sear rod having a springand means cooperating with said link in HANS SCHMEISSER. 

